In May, La Jolla Village Merchants Association got a report from the city about a grant program to assist small businesses in improving their curb appeal.

Alissa Gabriel told the board of the Business Improvement District hat small businesses with 25 or fewer employees are eligible to apply for the city's Storefront Improvement Program.

The program offers free design assistance and a grant equal to one-half of improved expenses up to $8,000.

Gabriel said the program is primarily to “help mostly small businesses fix up the storefronts of their buildings. The point is to help give yourself a new look.”

Gabriel said the improvement program has over the years helped some 400 businesses spruce up their appearance.

“Many kinds of improvements, from awnings to lighting to paint colors, surface materials, landscaping, windows, sidewalk cafes and parklets, are all eligible for the program,” Gabriel said.

Asked by board member Michael Dorvillier if sidewalks qualified, Gabriel responded, “No; storefront improvements, stuff that usually doesn't require permits that helps get businesses going, that's the usual stuff in the program.”

For more information on storefront improvement assistance, visit sandiego.gov/storefront or call (619) 236-6460.

In his president's report, CA Marengo talked about the public right of way and La Jolla's Planned District Ordinance (PDO), the community's blueprint for commercial development.

“I want to re-emphasize that PDOs are being relinquished and put into the city's development code,” Marengo said. “That revamping process is already happening and is how major portions of PDOs in communities are being retained. All the PDOs are going to be merged into the land development code. We'll see how long that takes.”

The association’s next meeting will be Wednesday, June 8 at 3 p.m. at La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave.

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